A Posca Pen allows you to control the application of rich, opaque water-based paint, in fine or broad lines, making it perfect for painting and drawing! The markers are real paint that dries permanent and they are very versatile. Illustrators love the bright colours on paper; painters use them for fine lines, highlights and details in acrylic paintings; sculptors use the markers to colour outdoor work; curators use them to write information in the windows of their show; street artists use the large markers for work on concrete and brick walls; hobbyists use Posca to paint on textiles, stones and flowerpots and they are great for semi-permanent drawings in cafe windows.
Customer review:
“Really versatile pens with great coverage and range of colours. I’m glad I found them!”
All seven sizes of Posca pen.
Doodles by Kay Gasei.
Water-Based Paint in a Marker
Posca Pens are actual pigment paint with a small ball inside the barrel to shake and mix the paint to the right consistency. Application is similar in feel to applying acrylic paint. The paint is fluid and smooth with great coverage. It is so opaque and dense that you can paint light over dark. They are fantastic for applying highlights on top of an acrylic painting. The control of the pen sizes means adding lines, hard-edged shapes, and text to an acrylic painting is very useful. The marks are fast-drying like acrylic paint and the paint is water-based. It doesn’t run on a painting and allows a very controlled application. You can also paint on a wet painting for blending.
For this acrylic painting on canvas – After the acrylic paint was dry I easily added the highlight using a Posca white marker (PC-3M size). The opacity of the Posca Marker Pens allows white over dark which is especially useful for highlights. A paint pen is also useful to paint any fine details or lines on an acrylic painting.
Control the Width of Your Line
Posca Pens are available in seven tips:
- 0.7mm ultra-fine pin tip
- 0.7mm extra-fine bullet tip
- 0.9 – 1.3mm fine bullet tip
- 1.8 – 2.5mm medium bullet tip
- 8mm chisel tip
- 15mm extra-broad tip
- a brush pen tip
All tips can be rinsed with water and some are reversible.
Read this PDF to compare all the Posca Pen tips.
Left to right: 0.7mm ultra-fine pin tip, 0.7mm extra-fine bullet tip, 0.9 – 1.3mm fine bullet tip, brush pen tip, 1.8 – 2.5mm medium bullet tip, 8mm chisel tip, 15mm extra-broad tip.
You Can Use Posca Pens on Almost Any Surface
Amazing adherence to almost all surfaces, with very little bleeding or show-through.
- Paper – All types of paper and cardboard such as tracing paper, photo paper or cardboard. The paint does not bleed through paper.
- Acrylic paintings – permanent – best sealed with varnish
- Stone, concrete and plaster – best on sealed surfaces and then with a few thin coats of MSA spray varnish.
- Ceramics – permanent (for light use) after baked.
- Glass – semi-permanent for window displays (draw on the inside of the window and remove by scruubbing off with window cleaner), on glass items you can fit in an oven they are permanent (for light use) after baked.
- Fabric – permanent after ironed (iron on reverse)
- Plastic and latex – permanent
- Metal – great for outdoor metal works, best with a few thin coats of MSA spray varnish.
- Wood – best on sealed surfaces and then with a few thin coats of MSA spray varnish.
Posca have tested their markers on many surfaces. They cover all the materials on their website.
You Can Use Posca Pens on Almost Any Surface
Artists Who Use Posca Pens
H Locke, Margate-based illustrator
“Posca are great for non-porous surfaces, I use them for drawing on glass and plastic. Because the drawing will clean off glass, I have used them for site-specific, semi-permanent window installations so I don’t damage or permanently affect the immediate environment. I also use white for drawing on dark surfaces, I haven’t found any other marker that is opaque enough to do that.”
One of 35 parts of ‘The Journey’ installed in St John’s Church, Leytonstone for the exhibition Seeing is Believing, July 2016. Posca marker pen on plastic sheet, temporarily attached to church pews.
by H Locke
H Locke drawing on the window with a Posca pen during the ‘Colourful Language’ exhibition at Hoe Street Central 2015
Part of H Locke’s very large drawing on the windows of the ‘Colourful Language’ exhibition at Hoe Street Central, East London, 2015
Kay Gasei, London-based Illustrator
“As an illustrator/artist, I like to keep an emergent tone about my work, I have a thing for my body of work to all look and feel different. The brightness and range of colours Posca provides suits/reflects the vision of certain pieces I have in mind. I mainly use them for larger pieces, like murals or one-off posters because they offer the range of nib/tip sizes. Being water-based is also a plus, because after window pieces have run their course, they are easily wiped clean with no stain and ready for the next project.”
Kay Gasei
Darkroom Espresso window mural
Sophia Swift, North London artist
“I use Posca Pens a lot in all my work, mostly for drawing outlines over acrylic paint on mixed media work, and for writing text on and over works as well. They are very opaque, solid and beautiful to use. They dry super-fast, so are really good for layering. They are very smooth and glide across the surface, the flow is 100% perfect. They work well with acrylic paint for highlights and layering effects. They are the elite! Much better that any other paint marker I’ve ever used. I was working on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle guidebook using a 1mm black Posca pen, but I couldn’t get the size for a while so I didn’t continue my work, as no other marker has the look I wanted. I’m so excited to have the Posca back in my hand again, so I can continue working!”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Guide
by Sophia Swift
Posca Pens and Materials on the Jackson’s Art Supplies website
Further Reading about pens on the Jackson’s Art Blog
- Faber Castell Pitt Pens Review
- Montana Empty Marker Pens to Fill with Ink or Paint
- Comparing Illustration Markers
- Schmincke Aerocolour Liners
At jacksonsart.com postage on orders shipped standard to mainland UK addresses is free for orders of £39.
Oil paint wasn’t mentioned. Can Posca pens be applied over
oil paint?
Hi Jesse
It is usually not a good idea to apply acrylic over oil. But they say you can use the Posca on wax so it sounds like anything is possible if you varnish it afterwards.
Please let us know your results if you do any experimentation.
Hi I have a poster (glossy photo paper) which is signed
by a number of actors using posca paint pens. I was
wondering what I can use to seal the project once
completed that won’t damage the poster or affect the
pens. Thanks
Hi Rob
I needed to ask someone who uses Posca and varnish. She thinks it will be fine, but is just extrapolating from how she uses it because she has never done a poster. She says Golden Polymer varnish works great on Posca pens.
I’m sorry but I can’t find out any more information about varnish on a poster. My worry is the wet varnish will smear the poster, not the Posca. Perhaps spray it first with a spray varnish or fixative in lots of light coats not one thick one, and then test a small corner area with a wet finger for smearing or wrinkling. Then apply a spray or paint on varnish. If you have a similar poster that isn’t valuable you could test on that before the real thing.
Another option would be to frame it for safety.
How do you seal a painted wine glass in the oven?
Thank you!
How do I stop the Posca pen repelling on a hardback
diary Surface and a holographic shiny surface?
Can i prepare surface before hand and if so what can I
use to prepare the surface?
Hi Versha
A clear primer would probably work, but you’d have to test it. We have a few: https://www.jacksonsart.com/search/?fq%5Bx_application%5D=Oil&q=clear+primer
I’ve purchased black Posca Pens to do a full scale
doodle on an Ikea melamine Coated table. It will go
outdoors when finished. Will these run in wet weather?
Also, if I varnish the doodle will my participant artists
be able to use Posca Pens over the varnish when they
colour in the outlines doodles? Hope you can help?
Kelly
Hi Kelly
Posca pens are acrylic so when dry will not run in wet weather.
For outdoor use we always recommend Golden MSA varnish, great for murals, giving a hard weather resistant coating with UV protection to reduce sun fading.
The problem with painting or drawing on top of varnish is that if the varnish ever needs to be removed to be replaced in the far future, the paint on top will be removed. But if you aren’t worried about re-varnishing in the future then it might be fine, you could just do a second varnish after the second drawing.
I am more concerned with the surface. If you mean the white foil coating on pressed wood, I have seen that type is very easily damaged by water, the wood pulp inside swells and splits the white coating. But perhaps the table you are using is actually melamine – in which case outdoor use is probably fine.
Hope that helps!
Thank you! This has been very helpful 🙂
Hi there, wondering if poscas will work on an outdoor
school portable wall. The wall is made from metal/
aluminium. Will the weather effect it?
Thanks in advance
Hi Clare
They should last a while. Not sure how your system works but an ocassional cleaning and spray with an outdoor varnish might help them last longer.
They are great to use and are real paint so seem like they’d be appropriate for the use.
Sounds like a great project!
I’ve had a problem with Liquitex varnish smudging poscas.
The posca paint is dry – like drying for weeks before
varnishing, yet the poscas still smudge when I brush Liquitex
oover it. Can you recommend a marker pen that doesn’t
smudge with Liquitex varnish?
Hi Tracey
I am surprised by this.
I will try to find out for you.
Which Liquitex varnish are you using? A solvent or water based one?
I’m having the same issue with bleeding of Posca
pens on wood. Created a piece on wood, lettering
was in white Posca water based pen. Tried to
varnish with Jo Sonja Acrylic Satin varnish but it
bled & smudged all over the piece. I had to sand
back and re-do the piece. The piece had been
drying for 4 days prior to attempting to varnish. I
ended up having to use a spray varnish, not my
preferred option as more expensive and not as
economical
Hi Sonja
Very sorry to read about your experiences. How thickly had the pen been applied? I am trying to fathom why the marks were drying so slowly as this is not normally how they behave.
Many thanks
Lisa
Same with mine, but only the
black paint smudged. I tried
varnishing it about three
months after I had finished.
Applied a gloss acrylic varnish
and it smudged, ruining my
painting. I have other paintings I
need to varnish but daren’t due
to this issue.
Seems very odd. I have emailed Flashe to ask about this. I will get back to you with their reply.
Can the markers be used on top of a watercolor
painting without reactivating the watercolos and
clogging the tip…or should the watercolors be
sprayed with a sealer? If a sealer is needed what
can be used that will not harm the watercolors?
Hi Myrtle
I’m afraid I haven’t tried this first hand but I suspect there might be a danger of the pens re-wetting the paint underneath. You can use the Schmincke watercolour fixative to make the watercolour water-resistant, and then work with the pens over the top.
https://www.jacksonsart.com/schmincke-aqua-watercolour-fixative-60ml
Many thanks
Lisa
Hello,
I am looking into drawing a streetscape mural directly onto
the painted wall of a child’s bedroom and wondering what
would be best to draw with. Do you think posca pens would
be suitable for this? Would it be ok to leave it unsealed? I
would rather not use varnish or equivalent to finish it.
Hi Will
Our resident Posca pen expert Sophia said they would be the best choice that she can think of for wall drawing. Their brightness will differ depending on how absorbent the wall surface is, they are more vibrant on a more sealed surface, but they even work on raw brick.
She said they adhere well and do not require varnishing.
I hope that helps! Let us know how you get on.
Hey thank you for this – great, I will give it a try!
Many thanks,
Will
Hi, I have used Posca’s to embellish an acylic pour painting.
When I went to varnish the work, the paint lines (which had
been sitting for about a week) bled.
Would a spray varnish be a better fit for this application?
Hi Julia
I am really surprised the pens bled after a week of drying. Do you mean that the colour moved with the stroke of the varnish brush? Was it as if the surface was too slick for the pen? Or was it the acrylic pour painting that was still wet?
I would say that it’s best not to varnish anything until everything is completely dry. Also what kind of varnish were you using?
Many thanks
Lisa
I have some black 0.7 ultra fine posca pens and they
were working fine, but now they seem to be clogged, no
amount of shaking, pumping or cleaning of the nib has
been able get the paint flowing again. Any suggestions???
Hi Sarah,
Have you tried holding the nib under running water or leaving it in water overnight? That usually unclogs the pen. Other wise you may need to replace the nib of your pen.
Many thanks
Lisa
hi my name is kiran…i have used uni posca on my walls and
when i test applying water it smudges…are posca water
resistant?i am trying make a art on my wll but got skeptical
after the smudging…how long does it take to dry??
Hi Kiran
Once dry the pens are waterproof. How long they take to dry depends on how absorbent your wall is. If very absorbent then within seconds, or minutes at most. If it is very non absorbent (for example a glossy wallpaper) then you might need to leave it overnight to dry fully. Let us know if it seems to be taking even longer than this.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hi
I have used Posca paint pens on 6mm clear acrylic
sheets to make my wedding signs but they do smudge
in transportation, what spray can I use to seal this so
it doesn’t smudge or scratch?
Hi Anneeka
Once the pens are dry they shouldn’t smudge, are they definitely dry? If not I would steer clear of adding anything more over the top to protect them as it won’t work. If they are dry but smudging then I guess you could try an acrylic spray varnish over the top, but to be honest I think we need to hear more about the situation so it could be worth calling our customer services team for further assistance.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hiya
I paint subbuteo players. I need something that is
acrylic but has the finness of a pen so I can draw
stripes on players. Are these able to be put on the
players and if so which pen do you recommend. Thank
you for your time.
Hi Garath
Sure you can use Posca pens for detailing Subbuteo players. I’m sure you’ll probably need the finest tip in order to get the level of detail you need.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hi, I am getting someone famous to sign my
painted black canvas (painted with acrylic),
will the Posca Paint Pens work by
themselves or will I have to get a clear
varnish to seal it, if so which varnish would
be best?
hi Rachel
A layer of varnish will offer more protection, although a Posca Pen mark will be pretty permanent by itself. To maximise protection I would suggest an isolation layer of 2 parts acrylic soft gel gloss to one part water, allow to dry, and then a layer of MSA Varnish.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hello, I bought one of your aluminium
panels and have tried using the postcard
pens on it. As they are water based, the
paint comes off easily. However, I would like
the paint to be permanent. Is there a way of
doing this and if so, how? Thanks.
Hi Stuart
Try abraiding the surface with a light sanding, and then wipe with a rag dipped in solvent. Allow to dry and then start work with the Posca pens. Do let us know if that doesn’t work…but any adhesion issues with these panels tends to derive from the lack of absorbency. Sanding and applying solvent should increase absorbency to a level that allows you to use your pens.
Many thanks
Lisa
Posca, not postcard – damn autocorrect!
Gotta love autocorrect!!
Can I use Posca markers to draw on a
guitar? The surface will be dyed with
waterbase dye covered by an isolation
layer, but what should the isolation layer
consist of? I was going to use spray
shellac in order not to disturb the dye on
the wood. And what final finish would you
use so it could be handled a lot?
Hi Byron,
Usually isolation coats are for acrylic based paintings, and not used for layers of water-based colour. I wonder why you want to apply an isolation layer between your layer of dye and the posca pen work – If I understand your intentions correctly I think you can go straight ahead and work with the Poscas over the top of the colour without an isolation coat in-between.
Isolation coats are usually used to protect paintings where the varnish may be removed later (if it has become dirty; then the varnish can be removed without disturbing the painting underneath). I wonder how likely it is that you will need to remove the layer of varnish at a later date? If it is likely then to be honest I would use an acrylic based layer of colour rather than a water-based dye, work with the Poscas on top, then apply a 2:1 Soft Gel Gloss to water mix as an isolation coat, and then a layer of your final protective coat, which needs to be removable and hard-wearing. I stop short of recommending any specific product because I think you need to seek the advice of a expert in guitar-making who will know what is most suitable for your needs.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hi there. I upcycle furniture using satin
paints on wood. Would the Posca pens
work on this surface? Or would it need
to be varnished after? Thanks
Hi Sharon,
It would be best to varnish afterwards – the pens would adhere well to a satin finish surface, but for furniture I would imagine the surface you are drawing on might get knocked or touched quite a lot, so a layer of varnish would stop the pen marks wearing away over time.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hi
I have been using Posca paint pens to
paint story stones for children. I
would like to sell these so need to CE
mark them. Do you know if these
pens are EN71-3 certified?
Thank you
Hi Karen
The pens are not CE marked because they are intended to be used by artists or by children with supervision.
If you mean that you’d like to sell the stones then it sounds like you do not need to know if the pens are safe for children to use, but rather are the stones safe for children to use. I have emailed Posca to ask if the paint from the pens, after it has dried, is safe for application to children’s toys. I will add their reply here when it comes.
I would think the main worry would be children putting the stones in their mouth. A varnish should prevent the paint being chewed on but the varnish would need to be non-toxic – you can search the internet and find a number of choices for toy varnishes.
Hope that helps.
Hi Karen
Posca have replied.
“Posca is water based, no solvents. However we do not specially target children and do not carry a CE mark so therefore we cannot recommend it should be used on kids toys.”
Hi Can Posca pens be used on canvas painted with acrylic as
mixed Media? I also usually varnish with Golden UVLS varnish.
Will that move and smudge the Posca renderings? I also use
sharpies and metallic paint markers. Thanks. Helen♀️
Hi Helen
The pens work great with mixed media and acrylic paint.
If you are using the Golden spray varnish that will be perfect.
I have done tests of Posca on canvas to make sure that Posca pens are permanent 1. straight on canvas, 2. applied on top of acrylic, and 3. on top of other Posca. I layered them and painted them singly and then painted on a low odour solvent after 5 minutes and after 3 hours. None of the Posca moved at all. They dry to be just as permanent as acrylic paints.
Hi I am going to draw on a bathroom wall,
would the pen be suitable?
Hi Patricia
Posca will paint fine on emulsion prepared walls and it dries waterproof. So it should be fine.
I paint dinner plates’but after bakeing. I find
I can scrape paint of with my finger
nail.what am I doing wrong
Hi Tony
The Posca website says the pens can be used on porcelain – by baking at 160°C for 45 minutes, then spraying with clear varnish.
https://uniball.co.uk/posca-fine-pc-3m/
Hope that helps.
Hi
My son wants to decorate clear plastic phone cases. Will these
pens be ok to use?
Thanks
Hi Leila
I haven’t tried it on plastic but Posca’s website says it will adhere. https://uniball.co.uk/posca-extra-fine-pc-1m/
You will need to spray the finished work with a varnish. Two key things to remember: a few light coats will dry harder than a thick coat which may stay sticky; and while they are drying you can’t let dust settle on them as it is usually visible, so as part of the finishing of the work it would be good after spraying them, to place them in a dust-free cardboard box or similar, perhaps stacking on some mini shelf system inside the box if necessary.
Hope that’s helpful.
Hello!
I recently painted a guitar body with
spray cans. Will i have to put laquer on
the paint first then use the pens (before
adding another coat of laquer), or can i
paint straight onto the paint?
Thanks, Leon.
Hi Leon
I don’t know what your exact combination of guitar surface and type of spray paint is. Posca won’t disturb most dried acrylic surfaces but it is always best to do a test yourself, to see if it works in your situation.
Will Posca Pen’s work well on animal hide? I
want to paint my hoop drum. Thank you!
Hi Jeanne
According to Posca’s information, that should work fine.
They recommend:
For skins such as natural or artificial leather, wipe with a damp sponge and leave to dry. For real or imitation suede, brush gently with a soft brush.
The effects you can produce with POSCA on textiles and skins include mixing and layering colours.
POSCA will always be more heavily absorbed by natural materials. The drying time and the number of coats you will need for a uniform result will vary and can be evaluated visually.
Fixation
You can fix your creation with a hairdryer. Hold it 30 cm from the surface and make small circular movements.
Hope that helps.
Can i use posca in my leather shoes and
canvas shoes?..does it fade when im
going to wash my shoes?…can i use
matte finisher after using posca?thanks
Yes, Posca says it adheres well to leather and canvas. Yes, you can put matt varnish over it. As always, a spray varnish will be more even and gentle, but will require more coats. Be careful of many coats of Matt varnish though, as the matting agent can start to show as cloudiness. So do a few tests first to see how many coats.
I do not think it will be robust enough for harsh washing, like tennis shoes in a washing machine, but with a few coats of varnish you can wipe them clean.
Hi there,
I have recently purchased some Posca
pens for comic doodles. I have been quite
pleased but it seems to be rubbing the
paper off. I have tried many different types
of paper and even cardboard. Do you have
any recommendations to avoid it from
pilling.
Hello
Cartridge paper is a bit soft for markers but card should have worked better. Are you perhaps pressing quite hard? When you stop and prime the Poscas by pressing the tip in and letting the paint flow, then you shouldn’t have to scrub the paper with the tip.
Have a look at this article on our blog about markers and paper: Comparing Illustration Markers.
Smooth papers like Marker Paper and smooth, hard papers like Bristol Board are really good for markers.
I hope that helps.
Hi, is it possible to use posca and over it
paint with colored pencils?
Hi Antonia
If the paint has soaked into the paper or canvas it might work, but if the posca paint is thick it will be like drawing on plastic, so it wouldn’t work very well.
You could paint a clear gesso over the top for some tooth that the coloured pencil could stick to. Liquitex clear gesso has a lot of tooth. Don’t paint it on to thickly as it will look cloudy on top.
Hi I’m new to painting and I want to paint
on canvas using strictly Posca Pens, how
well do you think this will look compared
to acrylic paint?
What methods would I have to use to
preserve and enhance the markers? Is
gesso necessary to prime the canvas?
What about using clear coat once the
painting is finished? Is it necessary as
well, if so which varnish would be best to
use on canvases?
Hi Tran
Posca Pens are acrylic paint, it will just look different because you are using a felt nib instead of a brush. You can get the wider nibs for different looks.
Just like with acrylic paint it is not necessary to prime the canvas.
A varnish is not required but would help the surface all be one sheen and would make it easier to clean if it gets dusty, as dust can stick to acrylic.
Any varnish that you would use on acrylic would work – polymer varnish or MSA varnish.
Hi Julie. I think you have a wrong
information about Posca. I’ve been
using posca for the last 10 years.
Posca is not acrylic. And even when
it’s dry, on the top of a acrylic paint,
or any sealed surface, if you start to
draw with a Posca on top of another
layer of Posca, they gonna mix, as the
first layer will get wet. So, varnishing
with brush is a really bad choice if
you have Posca. Posca is water
based, but not Acrylic. From my
experience, the best way to varnish
Posca is with spray (aerosol).
Thanks Hugo
We thought they were acrylic here for a while but I was corrected by Posca a few years ago. I thought I had updated all the incorrect parts of the article. Where do you see it?
Yes, Posca also recommends using spray varnish.
Thanks!
Hi, I have brought posca’s to decorate
fabric shoes. Do I need to prepare the
shoes in anyway first? What do you
recommend to protect the image after? Do
you know if spraying them with a
waterproofer would cause the posca paint
to run? thanks for this and any other tips
Hi Ali
Posca is acrylic paint and sticks well to most surfaces.
This artist was using a different permanent ink marker but tried some primers on the canvas trainers to get the best surface for drawing, it might help you. CONVERSE – DRAWING ON SNEAKERS
A final spray varnish will not cause the paint to run and would be a good idea to protect the paint and to allow you to wipe the shoes clean. Remember that a matt varnish will keep it looking like fabric and that a gloss varnish will make it shiny.
thanks
Hi there! I’ve been using poscas for
years and have only just recently found
this problem on my new projects. I do
wooden signs – painted with an acrylic
interior paint low sheen and then I use
posca markers on top. I have noticed
this hairline cracking or snake-like skin
look. I have a picture can send also if
needed. I’m at a loss. Any reason why it
would be doing this? I thought adding a
few layers would help but it made it
worse.
Cheers
Hi Trudy
Is it the Posca cracking or the housepaint?
Hi. I varnish my acrylic paintings with
liquitex gloss varnish, I want to sign my
paintings over the varnished surfaces- can
these marker pens do that? I want to try
white.
Hi Anna
It should work very well.
It’s usually not recommended to paint on top of varnish in case later, in many years, the varnish has become dirty and needs to be removed and replaced. That’s why many varnishes are removable, because they are designed to get dirty so the painting doesn’t. Are you using the Liquitex removable or permanent?
You really only need to worry about it if you think your work will become very valuable and restorers will be revarnishing it.
I have never used these markers but am
thinking about trying them out to do a
graffiti type drawing on a guitar body. Do
you know how many square inches a
marker will cover?
Hi Mark
Posca don’t have any figures for the coverage.
How porous the surface is will make a difference. How dense your drawing is, as well.
I’ve seen it painted on glass and one marker does a whole storefront window drawing. But it was a line drawing with some space in it.
They’ve been making these since the 1980s and no one has ever complained about them running out too quickly.
So for the size of a guitar, I don’t think you would need very many, even if you are covering it completely.
When you say Posca pens are permanent does this mean they have the same permanence as artist quality acrylic paint.
Hi Lucy
I have not found any information about how Posca are defining ‘permanent’ so I asked them your question.
This is their reply:
“Posca is not acrylic – it is our unique water-based formula.
Posca can draw on almost any surface, it is permanent on porous surfaces and can be made permanent on non-porous surfaces – for example:
Iron on the back of fabric.
Bake in the oven for ceramic.
Etc..
For hints and tips for all surfaces please see our link: https://www.posca.com/en-uk/support/“
Hi again Lucy
If you would like artist-quality acrylic paint in a pen I have found that empty markers filled with paint work very well.
These two posts might be helpful:
Empty Marker Pens to Fill With Paint
Schmincke AeroColor Liners
Here are the 3 brands of empty markers on our website:
Schmincke Aero Markers
Molotow empty markers and dripsticks
Montana empty markers
Hi, I need to paint with posca pens a
surfboard and a bull´s real skull. Do i need
to put some kind of coating on the board
and on the skull before I start with the
posca, or some kind of cleaner? And also
after I´m done painting with the posca
pens what kind of spray varnish sealler do
I need to use?
Hi Zecca
As with most painting projects the preparation of the surface is the most important part for creating a long-lasting object. It should be clean and free of oil or wax and if it is non-porous it will need to be roughed up a bit with sandpaper to create a ‘key’ for the paint to latch onto. Skipping the proper steps of preparation and jumping to the fun part of applying the colour causes problems for artists, craftspeople and house painters.
I had a quick look and this surfboard painting video looks good for the first 4 steps but then you will need to also use a varnish.
1. Scrape all the wax off the surfboard.
2. Use acetone to remove the remaining wax.
3. Sand with 200 grit sandpaper.
4. Paint with Posca.
5. Spray with many light coats of a gloss, water-based acrylic spray varnish like Krylon.
The skull should be much easier since bone is porous unless it has been waxed or varnished. If it is very dry and porous you might want to apply a clear primer first so the paint doesn’t soak in and sit under the surface. Then paint with the posca and when it is dry varnish as above. If you wish the skull to not be shiny then for the last coat of varnish you can use a matt varnish. The first coats should be gloss because a build-up of the matt varnish will usually be cloudy, but one final coat of matt is fine.
I hope that helps.
Unfortunately, I can say mostly negative things about these markers.
(1) They are never ready for use. You have to shake and press the tip repeatedly with the risk of flooding everything around.
(2) The colors have not enough saturation. Is is pale red, pale blue, pale everything. Black is good.
(3) Although they can color any surface, you will have your fingers dirty with the next touch.
They describe almost what I would like to have, but they fail. 🙁
Hi Eduarde
I have used these pens myself and I know many other artists who rely on them and love them. I’ve never heard any feedback like this. I find them to be strong, opaque colours that do not smear and you only need to pump them occasionally, mostly if you are using them on a vertical surface.
The only time I had trouble with them was using them on a wet surface and getting other paints on the tips, which was my own fault.
So I asked the Posca people and they said they have never heard of complaints like this either. They said they would be happy to have your pens back to the head office to have a look to see what is wrong. Please email customerservices@jacksonsart.co.uk and they will arrange a return for you so we can let Posca look at your markers.
I’m sorry they haven’t worked for you. Can I ask how you are using them and what is the surface you are using them on?
Hi I have bought a range of Posca pens to
paint lots of peg dolls for all my
grandchildren. Usually I finish wooden toys
for them with Rust-Oleum (Toy Safe) Clear
Satin Sealer, which I brush on. Unfortunately
I’m finding the posca colours are smudging
when I apply the sealer. Can you please
suggest a suitable CHILD SAFE
sealer/varnish, preferably satin, though I
guess that’s not essential, but non-smudging
is.
Hi Sonja
Since they are permanent on porous surfaces, I am surprised they are smudging.
Posca recommends a spray varnish. If the toy safe varnish comes in a spray that sounds like the way to go. Then if you’d like to do a brush-on coat as well for extra protection you could safely brush over the surface because it would be sealed.
Posca has written some helpful information about using their markers on wood:
https://www.posca.com/en-uk/support/wood/
Does the sealant you use come in a
spray can variety? My Mam and I have
recently given her garden ornaments an
update with acrylic paints and Posca
pens and she has finished them with a
clear sealant spray. I think she just
grabbed a cheap version but we started
out looking into Plasti-Kote spray which
is the same thing, just a named brand. I
don’t know whether they are child safe
though as it wasn’t something we were
looking for. I’m sure a quick Amazon
search for ‘clear sealant spray’ (which is
what we used) will give you a bunch of
options to choose from and find one to
suit your needs. No brushes = no
smudges!
Thanks, Sarah!
Hi,
I am dying to get into using Poscas
properly (so far I have pretty much
solely used them for black backgrounds,
white highlights and gold/silver metallic
accents on adult colouring pages and
my own drawings but I love the idea of
using them on wooden canvas boards
etc to make something bright and
colourful for my neice/nephews’
bedroom walls).
However, Poscas are super expensive
(especially as I live on disability
benefits) so I tried a cheaper alternative
(spoiler to no-one, they’re rubbish! Lol!).
Now I want to buy a basic set, preferably
of around 10-20 pens with a general
array of colours to have as a base to
build upon with individual pens when I
have the money to do so.
My question is actually about getting the
best value from the markers. I’ve found a
set of 12 PC-3M nibs for £35 and a set
of 16 PC-1M nibs for the same price. I
know that the paint can be “drawn” onto
a palette so I can mix different colours
using the ones from the set and painted
on with a brush, so the main conundrum
comes from the size of the nib/the
amount of paint in the different sized
pens. If I go with the 16pk of small nibs
it gives me more colours to use before I
have to mix my own but there’s the issue
of keeping a smooth, flat colour when
using such a small nib and not getting a
streaky mess. However, the 12pk
obviously has less colours to start with
and a thicker nib means less fine details
can be achieved – although saying that,
the 3M nib isn’t huge and I can always
use a palette and a super fine detail
brush if I needed really delicate details.
Lastly, do the larger nibbed markers
contain more paint per pen? The pens
themselves are bulkier but aren’t they
also shorter? So do they all contain the
same amount of paint regardless of nib
size?
Which do you think would be better
value overall? I’m leaning towards the
3M nibs but those few extra colours are
so tempting! Any advice would be a
massive help as I don’t want to waste
any more money (luckily I was able to
get a refund on the crap pens lol) as I
don’t have much of it to start with! Lol!
Thanks,
Sarah.
Hi Sarah
I asked Posca and they said that the broader nibs have more paint but that they use more, so the write-out distance is similar.
They recommend the 3M or 5M nibs as usually the best starter sets.
If you are interested in a thrifty use of the paint I would be concerned that mixing on a palette and using a brush would lose a good amount of paint, but I haven’t tried it so it might be fine.
Here at Jackson’s we have a good selection of sets and singles of Posca as well as wooden panels and canvas panels. We do our best to have the lowest prices among our competitors. You can read about our Price Match on our website.
I used a white Posca pen for the
highlight in the eye of a subject in a
graphite drawing. I realized I made a
mistake on the eye and need to adjust it.
Can I go over the white ink with pencil?
Hi Pearl
Since the Posca is paint with a nice matt surface it should take pencil well.
Hi!! Im hoping to draw some flowers on a
journal with faux leather but im not
confident that the paint pens will stay on
the cover. Could you recommend a good
spray varnish that i could use that can
protect the pen but not crack when i open
the journal to use it? Thank you so much!
Hi Laurie
Posca recommends a clear spray varnish for most surfaces. They don’t specifically recommend anything for leather. We don’t stock leather sealants, but I have seen them available on the internet. I hope that helps.
Is it ok to use them under oil paint? I
have an acrylic underpainting which I
have modified with posca and now I
want to paint over with oil paints to get
a richer surface.
Hi Gay
It should be fine, people use them as part of an underpainting with oil on top.
As always with anything new to you, I would try it on a part of your painting first. If it does not come off when you apply the oil paint then you are fine.
Hi Julie. I’ve been looking for a way to
personalise an AirPods case (plastic,
glossy finish) to help identify mine from
my husband’s. Will Posca work on this
surface please? Or is there something I
can use to prime the surface to help it
take? Thanks
Hi Claire
I have spoken to Posca and they aren’t sure if it will be permanent, they recommend a spray varnish to give it the best chance.
I did some research and it looks like preparing the surface is the key, as for so many things.
The best approach is to use fine sandpaper to gently scuff the entire surface until all the gloss is gone, taking care not to gouge the surface, then apply your paint or paint markers, let dry and then give it a few light coats of a clear varnish like Krylon Crystal Clear.
Hi Julie,
I am making a painting using posca markers on Belle Arti 574 Extra
Fine Linen (316gsm : Universal Primed). I would like to use a spray
varnish when it’s done to protect it and even out its sheen. I am
thinking of using a gloss or semi-gloss finish. Is there a particular
brand/type of spray varnish you can recommend for this purpose?
Hi Nima
Any spray varnish that says it is good for acrylics should work fine.
The Krylon is popular.
Thank you so much, Julie. I am also
wondering if an isolation coat is necessary
for the finished canvas, before applying the
spray varnish? if so – could you kindly
recommend what might be good to use as
the isolation coat? Or can I just apply the
varnish directly on to the posca painting?
Thanks again!
Hi Nima
An isolation coat is a brushed on layer of clear acrylic medium. In some instances this disturbs the material and smears it, negating the benefit of using a spray varnish. But that should not be the case with Posca. So yes, you can use one if you’d like. The usual reason for one is that you believe in the far future the piece will need to be cleaned by a professional restorer or conservationist and they will want to remove and replace the varnish layer because it has yellowed or become dirty over the centuries.
If you are using new materials or using them in a new way, it’s always good to try the combination on a small sample first, to prevent ruining all your hard work.
Thank you very much Julie, that’s very
helpful.
Hi there. Is there a varnish or seal u
would recommend as I’ve used the
posca pens fully on a design on a leather
handbag and tried to varnish it w the
“folk art water base satin leather
varnish”. I usually use this varnish when
using leather acrylic paints but unlike
the paints the posca pens colour starts
to run once I apply the varnish. Please
help
Hi
I contacted Posca about your problem and their leather expert said:
“If I use posca on leather I use a hair dryer to dry in between layers. I haven’t used a varnish on my leather jacket and it has actually worn really well.
You can use mod podge too. This gives a varnish and a flexible finish too.
If it is real leather the posca will be absorbed as it is a natural material, if it is faux leather, it will be a more shiny surface so may tend to slip off more so – just make sure the layers are dried in between and make sure it is 100% dry before applying varnish.
I would leave it at least 24 hours before varnishing.
And I would make sure it is completely dry in between layers. If it real leather or faux?”
I hope that helps.
Hi.
I use epoxy resin casts of my sculptures
and use posca paint pens on top of the
resin. The pens easily paint on the resin,
but it needs a top coat or it scratches off.
I have a very small studio and do not want
to use a spray varnish because of the
fumes and flammability issues. Is there
another type of varnish that would work.
Thanks so much.
Hi Randi
Any artists varnish made with synthetic resin will work (natural resins like dammar may yellow over time).
These come in sprays or in pots to brush on. If you don’t want to use a spray because of the solvent fumes then you will not want a solvent-based brush-on varnish either, they smell a lot. So look for varnishes that can be thinned with water like Golden Polymer Varnish. Do a test first to see if brushing will scratch the Posca paint.
If you find you need to spray you could rig up a simple system like I use. I have a cardboard box that I take outside with the painted object in it, I raise the flaps on all sides to block the wind and spray and quickly close the flaps to prevent any flying dust from sticking to the wet varnish. Then I take it back inside and most of the fumes are left outside.
I hope that’s helpful.
Thank you Julie – I really appreciate the
quick helpful response. Be well.
In mixed media, can you paint OVER the
layer of Posca pens with more acrylic
paint?
Yes, you can.
Hi, my son has designed his own doodle
wall. We painted the wall first and then
he pencilled his design onto the wall. We
bought posca pens to Outline and colour
in but they just won’t work on the wall.
Any ideas? He’s so upset as he spent so
much time and energy on it.
Hi Victoria
In what way do they not work? What is happening?
Hi, I am going to paint a mural on an exterior wall with Posca. I’ve
used them a lot, and love them, though never externally. Any
recommendations on what primer and varnish might be best for
this project? The mural is going to be at a brewery and needs to
hold up and look good in that environment.
Hi Katlin
I don’t know all the particulars of your situation but here are a couple of things to consider.
Preparing the surface will be very important to the longevity of the artwork. You want a stable surface. Any loose paint or brickwork will flake off and your artwork will go with it. So, seal the wall maybe and then apply a few coats of a good gesso, which is glue with chalk in it, so it will stick well.
Another thing about the surface – exterior walls are not always prepared in a way that gives a smooth surface, so it might be hard to draw on. If you scrape your coats of gesso primer on with an extra large palette knife or paint scraper, that could help fill any ridges and give you a smoother surface to draw on.
I have had reports that Posca scratches off in some situations, so it would need to be varnished. I have been told that some brush-on varnishes smear it a bit. So the first coat of varnish should be a spray, to set it. Then apply a couple more thin coats of a hard, outdoor, UV protecting varnish like Golden MSA.
Posca is similar to acrylic so it might also have the same limitation of temperature. Acrylic needs to dry for at least the first few hours at above 10C/50F. So I would be wary of painting or priming outdoors if it is very cold or you could get cracking.
I hope that helps. Your project sounds exciting!
Hi, I have been using post pens on wood
for a long time but have never sealed the
pieces when finished, or primed. Can you
recommend a primer sealer that can be
used on wood to protect the paint? Also
one that can go over wood stain?
Thank you!
Hi Hannah
Posca have a section on their website all about using their pens on wood.
Posca on wood supports.
Hi, I’d like to use these to paint a line art
mural on an interior wall but as its a
rental property I need to be sure it’ll be
easy to paint over with standard
emulsion if needed in the future? Could
you tell me if this is possible please? I’m
concerned it may resist emulsion in
some way making it tricky to cover over.
Hi Natasha
I asked the Posca technical department and this is their reply:
“I have been advised by one of our artists that you can paint over it no problem however the number of coats depends on the colour of marker and the paint being used.”
Hi there, I’ve started to trial Posca pens in my business ~ painting
on vintage plates, even with baking I’ve found the paint easily chips
off. I’ve tried using rust oleum water based varnish spray in gloss
but it’s REALLY not gloss at all, but does seal effectively it’s just
rather matte.
Can you recommend a gloss varnish that would work? These are
only decorative plates for wall decor.
Thanks so much in advance
Clare
Hi Clare
Golden Spray Varnish in gloss is very shiny and durable.
It is one of our most popular varnishes. It is solvent based so has very strong fumes while you are spraying and must be sprayed outdoors or using a proper fume mask. I spray outdoors by putting my object in a large cardboard box, shaking the varnish very well, spraying a light coat, closing the flaps of the box to prevent anything settling on the varnish, and repeating 1 or 2 more times at 20 minute intervals.
Are these recommended for professional
artworks? Are they lightproof enough to
stand the test of time? Or would Schmincke
Aero color be a better choice for this?
hi Tom,
Posca pens have good lightfastness and will not fade as long as they are not exposed to vast amounts of UV light. We’ve not conducted tests to compare them with Aerocolor but the fact that they are recommended for both indoor and outdoor use suggests the ratings would be comparable. With both products it is recommended to varnish the finished work to optimise lightfastness levels, and keep it away from direct sunlight as much as possible.
Many thanks
Lisa
Hi!
I need URGENT HELP.
Ok so..heres the story.
I customise shoes and have just
started doing them. They are Nike
shoes.
I did my first pair in red and
white..they were perfectly fine. They
didnt smudge or scratch off. They
also passed my waterproof
experiment. They didnt need any
sealing. Perfectly permanent.
I went onto buying lots of packs.
Different colours and sizes.
I have started my second pairs of
shoes. HERE THE ISSUES RISED!!
So i have had an order to draw on
nike shoes. Coloured butterflies.
I did my usual thing..nail polish
remover..quickly cleaned the surface.
Then started the job.
I used black 0.7mm marker to do the
black outlines and then filled them in
with coloured markers. They all came
from the same packet too.
the colour is fine. Not scratching off.
The black is flaking off!!!!!!
Why is this happening? No matter
what posca marker size i use..its
flaking off!!!
I have bought these markers a few
years now as i work on the walls. And
other items. But these shoes???
Why r they flaking offff???
I have gone over them numerous
times and they are still flaking off!
If i blow on it? It flakes off. If i
scratch? It flakes off!
And its JUST the black
markers….why??????
I need ur help because its really
ruining the job!
If i buy gloss leather finisher….when
can i apply this????????
Posca markers are brilliant and they
dry within seconds.
So why am i faced with this unknown
issue? And i have noticed its cracking
like snake patterns and weird hair
looking patterns when there isnt any
hair on it….
When do i apply the gloss finish
because within minutes…the black
flakes off!!!!!!! Iv not had this issue
before!!!!
Im going crazy here
PLEASE HELP!!!
Hi Mariyam
That sounds distressing!
I have emailed the Posca technical department and will get back to you as soon as I hear back from them.
Hi
can I use Posca pens on garden
furniture/plant pots that have been
previously painted with an outdoor garden
paint?
Hi Joe
I think it depends on how well the previous paint layer is adhered. If it is dry, dusty and coming away it may not be a stable surface to paint on. A coat of clear gesso or acrylic medium should help, then paint with the Posca Pens and then a final varnish to seal and harden off any stickiness from the acrylic medium. A varnish with UV protection will help keep your creations from fading in the sun.
I emailed Posca to see if they had anything to add and one of their artists said: The answer is indeed yes I have some in my garden. To completely weatherproof them I’d give them a coat of clear varnish.
Clear gesso
Acrylic medium
UV varnish
This Japanese brand marker pen gets a lot
of positive paint markers review and has
garnered quite a cult following because of
the reliability of their pens.
It’s true, they have a loyal following of illustrators who know that they can rely on the markers.
Hi, I am looking to draw Christmas
illustrations on the outside of my
windows at our coffee shop just for the
seasonal period. I’ve read that they are
waterproof but do I need to spray over it
with anything afterwards to secure it or
will it withstand the British weather for a
while?
Hi Bella
I’ve only ever seen Posca pens used on the inside of coffee shop windows. The drawing is just done backwards if it includes words.
It won’t run with water, so it should be fine for a few weeks on the outside, unless passers-by scrape at it. It can be scratched off.
A spray varnish seems like a bad idea as it may be hard to remove.
I love the Posca pens as a crafter. We do
craft shows and personalize our
ornaments. Each ornament is sealed with
an acrylic sealer when painting is
completed. When trying to personalize
with the Posca pen it seems to possibly be
picking up some of the sealer??? The
sealer is definitely dry. Something is
slowing down the flow of the paint from
the pen. Since we personalize at the
show on the finished ornament what do
you think is causing the issue. We’ve used
Krylon acrylic sealer, Americana acrylic
sealer, etc. We’ve used Sharpie Markers,
Sakura Markers and we were elated when
we discovered the Posca thinking this was
the answer for personalizing. This is
probably as clear as mud….hope you can
figure out what I’m trying to ask…LOL!
Thanks a bunch…
Uni-Posca white marker is great. I enjoy
how effectively the white ink shows up on
both dark and bright surfaces. They dry
rapidly, and you may write over them with
other Posca products without worrying
about smudging, smearing, or bleed-
through.
It is a great product, isn’t it! Thanks for reading.